FERNS OF NATAL. 
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L. attenuata. 
This, the most common species of the genus we have, is found 
both in bush and near springs, all over the Colony. The fronds are 3 ft. 
or more long, in shape a long oval, attenuated at both ends ; pinnate, with 
numerous pinnae which are 3-4 in. long, and spread from the main rachis 
at nearly right angles, sessile, dilated at the base, apex ending in a fine 
point; pinnae becoming gradually smaller towards apex of frond, and at fho 
base dwindling down to mere rounded auricles, veins forked and plainly 
visible; fertile pinnaa numerous and very narrow, 
L. punctulata. 
A species found on rocks in the bush and under shade, all over the 
Colony. Its stipes is 3 to 6 in. long, frond oblong lanceolate ; texture, 
coriaceous ; pinna very numerous, oblong, sessile, imbricated, rounded at 
the point, auricled at the base, and dwindling downwards to small 
auricles, the lower pinnae reflexed, fertile pinnae not usually so numerous, 
contracted, but slightly dilated at the base ; veins once or twice forked ; 
indusium sometimes intramarginal, and therefore Blechnoid, and often 
difficult to distinguish from Blechnum itself. 
Scolopendrium Krebsii, 
( Skolopendrd , a centipede, from the appearance of the fructification ; 
Krebsii , in honor of Krebs, a German botanist). 
A peculiar variety of the last species, in which the fruit is produced 
in short diagonal lines at the back of the frond, while the frond is scarcely 
if at all contracted, the sori are double, and open face to face, as in the 
English S. vulgare, an examination of some of the immature fronds 
will shew that while the whole of the sori near the base of the frond are 
at an acute angle with the rachis, at the apex they became almost parallel 
with it, and are single, and not double as at the base, different forms are 
found, at last completely merging in the true punctulata. The pinnae are 
usually more distant than in the last species, and are often crenate or 
wavy at the edge, and the veins are conspicuously clavate at the apex ; 
the sori are often so copious as to completely cover the whole under- 
surface of the pinnae ; a bipinnate, or bipinnatifid form is sometimes met 
With. It is found plentifully on rocks and near streams from Inanda 
to Patullo’s. 
L. procera, 
{procerus, tall). 
A rather coarse plant of the Midland districts, growing in open or shady 
places, and near streamlets. Its caudex is stout, woody, and covered with, 
large scales ; stipes scaly : barren frond ovate, 1-3 ft. long ; pinnae linear, 
the base rounded, sometimes cordate, or auricled, the point acute, some- 
times slightly toothed : veins conspicuous, fine, parallel, forked; rachis 
and midrib scaly : fertile fronds ovate > pinnae linear, distant, indusium 
broad, ciliated, sometimes slightly intramarginal. 
L. Boryana. 
(In honor of Bory de St. Vincent , a French botanist). 
A plant very similar in general appearance to the last, and not always 
quite easy to distinguish from it, though it is obviously a different species. 
In the present species 
1st. The pinnae are more numerous in both barren and fertile fronds. 
2nd. Those of the barren fronds are narrower and more spreading. 
3rd. They are thicker in texture, so that the veins are not so plainly 
visible. c 
